IMPORTANT: This is the sequel to In the Snake's Jaw. You should read it before starting this story or you won't understand some things.

With that said, welcome to The Snake's Nest.

We jump a year into the future. Let's see how our couple is doing and what awaits them in their new life after Hogwarts. This is going to be a more mature and darker story.

As always, the Harry Potter universe and the characters belong to J. K. Rowling, but this story is mine.

*Warning: this story contains sexual content and violence*


Chapter One

Grangers' House


Draco was sitting on a white sofa, a leg crossed over his knee and an open book on his lap. He was wearing a grey jumper with the Slytherin crest and reading quietly as one of his hands petted Crookshanks' belly. The cat was lying next to him and purring with his eyes closed.

The last rays of the evening came in through the windows, and from time to time the creaking of the wood burning in the stone fireplace surrounded the room.

He glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall. It was one minute to six in the afternoon. Draco refocused on the book and let out a sigh.

Suddenly, the flames in the fireplace rose and changed colour, turning emerald green. Looking up, he saw the figure of Hermione Granger coming through them. She took a couple of steps to a red carpet and dusted herself off her tunic.

Draco raised an eyebrow and stared at her, narrowing his eyes.

"Where is it?"

Hermione bit her lower lip, trying not to smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He rolled his eyes and snorted, shaking his head as he shared a glance with Crookshanks.

"Your owner likes to play dumb, though you and I both know she's lying," he commented in a low voice, rubbing the cat's ears.

Hermione giggled softly and walked over to the sofa, leaning in and grabbing the collar of his jumper.

He didn't resist and their lips met. Draco talked again, not pulling away.

"Where's my wand, Granger?"

Her laugh ruffled his blond bangs and Hermione straightened her back, ignoring his question.

"Did you make dinner?"

"I need my wand for that and you know it. I hate when you hide it, I've been looking for it all day," Draco muttered with a frown.

She took two steps back.

"You should have used your day off to learn how to cook without magic, Draco. Try it at least once, maybe you'll like it."

He left the book on the sofa and stood up, his grey eyes fixed on her. A deep grunt sounded in his chest and his fists clenched.

"My wand, Granger."

"Now I'm Granger again?" Hermione asked, walking backwards and feeling her heart race at the dangerous look Draco was giving her.

"You also call me Malfoy when you get mad at me," was his reply.

He took slow steps towards her, not blinking and with his gaze always on her face as if he were a hunter stalking his prey. Hermione took another step back and gasped as she hit the stone edge of the fireplace.

His eyes twinkled and he stepped forward, cornering her.

"Tell me where you've hidden it," he whispered, his breath caressing the skin of her neck.

She shuddered and a sigh escaped her lips.

"Are you ever going to try to do things like a Muggle? Aren't you curious about how they live without magic?" she said, running one of her hands up his chest until it reached his face, stroking his cheek with it.

Draco closed his eyes, leaning his head over her hand.

"It's stupid. Why should I complicate my life if I have magic that makes everything easier?" he asked, opening them again.

Hermione rolled her eyes, snorting through her nose.

"It wouldn't kill you to try, just once."

He moved closer to her and grabbed her curly hair with a hand, pulling her head back. Draco attacked her lips with fury, devouring her slowly and painfully.

Hermione sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck, tilting her head slightly and deepening the kiss.

His teeth tortured her lower lip, leaving a small caress with his tongue to calm it down. She felt his other arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him until their bodies were completely pressed together.

"Tell me," Draco whispered on her lips.

She gave in. Her brain was not able to continue fighting with those kisses.

"It's in Crookshanks' bed."

He opened his eyes and looked down at his girlfriend's face. She was blushing and her breathing was altered.

"If you hide it again... I'll take you right here, against the fireplace," he warned her, a twisted smile on his face.

Hermione giggled and kissed him again, catching his lower lip between her teeth.

"That doesn't sound like a threat at all," she commented, pulling apart a few inches and lifting her eyebrows.

"You'll tell me when you're covered in soot."

Draco winked at her and walked away, climbing the stairs behind the sofa. She sighed and dropped herself into one of the armchairs.

The living room of her parents' house was practically the same as when they lived there. They decided to change the colour of some furniture and renew the lamps the day Draco moved in with her, but that was it.

She had not removed any of the photographs of her parents, though her heart sank every time she saw them. Hermione liked being able to remember them. Some afternoons, she contemplated the pictures as she had a cup of tea, waiting for Draco to arrive from the Ministry. He used to leave work an hour later than her, and that gave Hermione time to be lost in thought and shed occasional tears thinking about her parents and how much she missed them.

More than once, Draco had arrived earlier than expected and caught her red-eyed, though he never said anything. He knew very well what was wrong with Hermione and, no matter how much they talked about it, he wasn't going to make her feel better.

He came back down the stairs, wand in hand. He walked into the kitchen and she stood up, following him. She saw him levitating a pot and lighting the fire while a knife sliced vegetables on the counter.

"You're useless. You can't do anything without your wand," she said, leaning on the door frame to watch him.

Draco raised an eyebrow in her direction and gave her one of those mischievous grins that Hermione loved so much.

"And you love my two wands," he murmured in a deep voice.

Hermione rolled her eyes, shaking her head and folding her arms as he bit back a laugh.

"I knew you were going to say something like that."

He approached her, still smirking as the enchanted objects continued to prepare dinner.

"The magic is taking care of our food, so I can do this now," he mumbled, catching her in his arms.

Draco lifted her body and sat her on the kitchen table. His hands slowly ran up her thighs, giving her goosebumps. Hermione lunged for his lips and they melted into a very intense kiss.

Before she could realise it, he had pulled down her underwear and was unbuttoning her cardigan. She wrapped her legs around his hips and gasped at the feel of him against her core.

He took off his jumper in one motion and tossed her red cardigan over one of the chairs as she unbuttoned his blue shirt.

The kitchen was soon filled with moans and whispers. She repeated his given name like a mantra and he left deep, open-mouthed kisses on her throat. One of his hands was lost under her skirt, torturing her with the tip of his fingers as he moved inside her.

The table legs creaked and they both laughed softly, though they didn't stop. Once he felt Hermione squirming between his arms, Draco bit her lower lip hard and let himself go with her, panting hard.

He rested his forehead against hers and focused on slowing his breathing, their bodies still tangled.

"Do you think there's a place in the house still untouched?" he asked, opening his eyes and searching for her gaze.

She giggled softly and shook her head, running her hands down his back.

"It seems that this table was the last place left, so we have already profaned the whole house," Hermione murmured with a grin.

Draco smiled back and pulled away from her just an inch, holding her chin.

"Your parents would kill us if they knew what we're doing with their house."

Her entire body tensed and Draco cursed under his breath. He had spoken without thinking.

"Forgive me, I didn't want to…"

"It's okay. Don't worry," she said, taking his hand and squeezing it lovingly.

Hermione had to get used to talking about them, even if it was painful.

Draco sighed and picked up his shirt, handing it to her. She put it on as he pulled up his trousers and watched her buttoning the shirt with amused eyes.

"I love the way my clothes fit your body. You look so much better than me with them."

She snorted and walked over to the counter, where the food was waiting. Hermione grabbed the two plates and set them down on the table once Draco had cleaned it with a flick of his wand.

They sat and she held the collar of his shirt with her fingers, bringing it to her nose and closing her eyes as she breathed in.

"Do you still feel the same when you smell my scent?"

Hermione blinked at the question and met his mocking gaze. She nodded without a word and picked up her fork.

"The same happens to me," he admitted in a low voice, tugging at his bottom lip with his teeth and making her laugh.

"Well, after a year living together you should have gotten used to it."

"Never, Hermione. You will always drive me crazy, you and your scent."

She smiled and reached out a hand that Draco was quick to grasp.

"My mother wants us to have dinner with them tomorrow."

Hermione winced but she kept eating.

"Don't make that face. They're kinder than ever and she's getting fond of you," he added, trying to contain his laughter.

"I always get the impression that your father is waiting for something to separate us. I don't like the way he looks at us."

His face hardened.

"Ignore him, I don't give a shit what Lucius thinks. And if he ever dares to say something inadequate…"

"Easy, Draco. He's not going to say anything to me," Hermione murmured, squeezing his hand again.

Draco nodded and gulped down what was left of the water, waving his wand. The plates and glasses levitated to the sink and began to wash themselves.

Hermione wrinkled her nose and he smirked at her.

After standing up, they returned to the living room and sat on the sofa where Crookshanks was still sleeping. She turned on the television and Draco laid down, his head on her lap. That box of Muggle pictures wasn't interesting at all, but he liked it because Hermione always stroked his hair while she was watching a film.

"You know… I ran into Harry today. He invited us to come over to his place this weekend."

His lips curled down.

"That bloody Potter…" he muttered, letting out a snort.

"Your friends come here every week and I don't complain about it," Hermione added, glancing down at him.

Draco clenched his jaw and closed his eyes, sliding a hand down to his knees. Crookshanks had just snuggled between them.

"Okay," he agreed, digging his fingers into the cat's orange fur.

"And to think that you called him a beast at first," Hermione commented, smiling as she watched him petting Crookshanks.

"He's still a beast but we tolerate each other."

She shook her head, laughing. As much as Draco denied it, he loved spending time with Crookshanks. The cat always followed him around and he secretly gave him treats when he thought she was not looking.

Hermione continued stroking his blond locks, tracing abstract shapes with her fingers until she heard his breathing. He had fallen asleep.

She traced one of his eyebrows with her forefinger. She loved that they were darker than his hair.

Hermione stared down at him for a minute, wondering if it was a good idea or not. Finally, she decided it was worth a try and stood up, trying not to wake him up. She placed a cushion under his head and took off her shoes.

Hermione climbed the stairs silently, heading to her father's old office. She and Draco had all the furniture transfigured, turning it into a study that the two of them shared. They each had their own table and used them when they brought work home. There were several shelves filled with books and filing cabinets and in one corner was Dark's cage. The owl was sleeping inside.

Hermione opened the door slowly and left it ajar after passing the threshold, walking over to Draco's desk. Even though he had told her that he couldn't tell her anything, her curiosity always won. She suspected that something was going on in the Department of Mysteries.

She sat down in the chair and took a deep breath, hesitating again. Draco had asked her many times not to look, explaining that everything related to his work was something only Unspeakables could know and, as much as he wanted to, he could not tell her anything. But Hermione had a hunch and she wanted to know what was happening.

She worked in the Department of the Minister of Magic as Arthur Weasley's secretary and she was aware of everything that happened in the wizarding society. And she didn't know why, but something was giving her a bad feeling. When she asked Draco if something important had happened in the Department of Mysteries and he simply scowled, her suspicions increased.

She sighed one last time and tried to open the second drawer but, as she expected, it was protected with magic.

"Alohomora."

She tried again, though the drawer still wouldn't open. Hermione clenched her jaw and shut her eyes, trying to guess the spell that was preventing her from opening it.

"I knew you were going to be here."

She couldn't help but jump at the sound of his voice, placing a hand on her chest. He was in the doorway, a frown on his face.

"Don't get mad. I just want to know what's happening, I want to help you."

Draco rolled his eyes and walked over to her, placing both hands on the table.

"You know I can't tell you anything."

"But I've been there, I know the things that are hidden in those rooms… and I think I know what's going on."

He pursed his lips, narrowing his eyes.

"Unbreakable vow, Hermione. They force us all to make it the first day and you know it," he snarled in a hard tone.

"You don't have to tell me anything. I could guess it."

Draco raised an eyebrow and sat on the edge of the table, folding his arms. She leaned back in the chair, biting the inside of her cheek as she thought.

"I don't think it has anything to do with those disgusting brains… though I'd love to know what you do with them. I've never understood their purpose."

His lips curved into a small smile but he didn't say a word.

"No, I suspect that you are in the room of prophecies and that a new one has appeared that has made you all nervous."

His smile disappeared and her eyes lit up.

"Is that, isn't it? A prophecy."

Draco just watched her as she came around the table, stopping at his side.

"I know you can't tell me, but I'm quite sure about it," she whispered, stroking his arm.

He sighed, looking into her eyes.

"It's late. We should go to sleep."

She nodded and left the room.

Draco turned before closing the door and cast another spell on his desk, just in case. He knew very well that nothing could stop Hermione when she wanted to know something, but at least she did not know all the spells that he had learnt as Unspeakable, and that was why it was practically impossible for her to open the drawers of his table.

Though all caution was little with the brightest witch of their age.


Another chapter in a week!